Electrolytic cell.



F1 HINICKLE.

ELECTHOLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED MMI. :IaA IIIII.

Patented Sept.. 10, 1918.

sfrA'rEs PATENT ELEcTBoLYrIc cmu.. y

1,278,724.. i VSlliceivn f Rtvefilatwt. Patented Sept. 10,1918,

,Application med Maron 25,4191?. sentir. v1"is'z`,`fa'9. To allivhom z'tmdy concer/n.4.' l edges of the' cathode-din hragm 'and oo n- Be` it known that I, FRANK H. NIGKLE, a tainernre'reinforcedandl eldinalinement 'citizen of the United States, and residing at by'means 0E the horizontal stris 10 and 11. Saginaw, in tlie county of Sag-'maw and The feed cup 12, which may e of any de` 60 y5 Stute of Michigan,` have invented a new and sired form and is" either 'inde endent of vor "Improved EleotrolyticCell, of which the folan integralj art of one "of `te electrolyte lowing is n specification. vessel endwa ls, is supplied Vwith brine from This invention relates to electrolytic cells the pipe 13. Communicating between the of tl'iediaphra -1n type, and especiallytosuch feed cup and thevessel is a passage 14 85 1'0 es are adapte for the electrolysis of alkali through which the electrol teis replenished.

chlorid for the production of caustic alkalin Centrally disposed, an supported upon nml chlorin, l the cross-bars 2, is a membenlffrom which .'lhe priniaryobjeet of my invention is to the anode cover 17 is sus vended by tension' .pfovidefe "siiiipli'edl of cell that is rodshavingnutswhere the elevation'of 70 1. 5s:,t;daptuble to suspension from over-head the ends vof' the cover plate-ma be independghiembers.l thereby eliminating the usual snp ently adjusted. .Dependin rom-the anode jfporting base, 1securing better electrical'insucover' 17 is a plurality o :modes 19; the if lation, more effective. air cooling, endless u per ends ofwhich protrude up-I through `expensive construction. D A t e anode cover and receive the positive elec- 75 2o Another-object is to-provldemeans to suptrical .connection 20. y ,i port the anode cover, and the anodes depend- Chlorl'n gas may be Withdrawn from the ing therefrom,independentlyof the electrovessel through the outlet 21 in the anode lyte vessel, so that the anode supporting cover. The ]oint.between.the anodecover s i cover may be readily adjusted to any de-` and the members 3 and llgfiiitylemd 80 25 sirablenlenttionorfmeybe lifted outof Vthe With :inyil plastic means 22 that -wilifreudily without the loosening of bolts or permit t e ralsing or --lowermgofthe anode clamping members. f i cover. The hydrogen liberated in the cat Figure 1 is a pien view of a cell in which "ode compartment may be withdrawn throu h my inventionbis embodied.V Fig.` 2 is a'cor any suitable opening (not shown) in t e 35 3s)v responding side elevation with parts broken cell container. `The 'causticlsoda or.- liquid :iway to show ythe interior construction. cathodev products may bewithdrawnl by pipe l `ig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 235V thereby,l if' desirable, avoidingY submer- In the embodiment` of my invention, the gcnce of the cathode. When the cathodeI is vertical members 1, shown broken off in Fig. maintained uli-submerged itfisievidentgtlret,` 9o 3A serve aslsupports, V'and'resting thereon 1s since the atmospheric ra'ir is'. excluded-from acrossfbar 2 at-each end of the: cell. Below he chamber-around the cathode,anyh` droeach cross-bar is a centrally disposed vertigen whichcolleets' therein maybe with awn Ieellf-shaped platel, which serveas an end through the pipe 237,'thi1's-r rov'ldin a comy for theelectrolyte 'vessel A permeable d'rsa.- mercial 'source for 'this e enlent:` I urther', 0b f 40 phragm, 4,inclosedvby end'lin contact vwith a the exclusion" of 'airfrom contactw-ithfthe s .perforated sheet metal cat-liode is-made' to catliolyte, Wlilch drains throu hf ther cathode l yconform tothe U-sha d end Walls, thereby perforations,A preventsseconary reactions forming theside. we ls and bottoxn ofthe which form carbona'tes-and tendto`elogup' vessell` Conforming-to the U-shaped cath the cathode perforations and renderthediai 100 ode-diaphregm is ej heetmetal container 6, phragmless permeable. 1 ""w'hich is spaced'npart at thenends by' the v 'In'the usual'lliaphr. cell construction, I separator 7, therebyv forming a compartment the weight7 ol' 'the 'ano es 1s carriedfby the" for the' cathode f roducts. i cell container, the electrol te vesseljorby At each end A o the cell is el U-bolt 8, the meanswithin the vessel; T ese varioussup- 105 50, 'upper ends .of 'which are provided with nuts "porting, mesme serveas "compresslon mem- 9, Whichbear onthe cross-bar 2. When the ers 1n transmitting the weight ofthe-.anodes `U-blolt V8 is tensioned the cathodediaphi'agm, downward vtothe cell-base. In the: resencey separator and container erefsilll simultaneof moisture, orn'e'ontact with liqui ously clamped together about-t e u sha'p'ed su' portin meansbeeom'e more orjlegs 11 0 end. wallof the electrolyte vessel which trical con uctors, hence it lslobyious tht'il'it. serves as a compression member. The upper is desirable to suspend .and lnsulate the anodoi supporting Cover as free' from the other elements ofthe cell as possible. To

attain this, suitable insulation 24. may be placed between the( anode 'cover and the cross-bers 2. t.

eakage of solutionsi'rom the cell, due to imperfect joints and disintegration of the materials of construction, have a tendency to keep the base andthe supports of the usual cell saturated. the res llt being loss' of current from the cell` to theI s uree of supply, "lhiscuri-entloss is easilyavoided' in a lc ell Aof the suspension type, suchas I have illustrated and described, by insert-ing suitable insulation '25 between the sul'nporting members'land the cross-bar c"'This insulation,

andr the cross-bars, being well above the levclof the liquor within the cell, it is evidentthat the etectiveness` to prevent current loss, maybe maintained indefinitely regardless of any leakage that may saturate the lower extrenfiitiesof-thc cell container. The anode supporting cover being snp- `portedsubstantially,freefrom the walls of the electrolyte vessel. it is evident that the same may be lowered to any desirable elevation, thereby'increasing the innnersion of the-anodes in the electrolyte so that thc entire llength below the anode cover ma)1 become. eiiective. p

In the cellillustrated. the cathode-dia- 'phragmv recedes away from the upper face ofthe anodcs, thereby making the shortest 'electrical path between the electrodes-'at thc lowerendof. the anodes. .As the di'sililtegration oft' the a-nodes is most. active where the greatest amount ot currentflcaves the face of the anodes, it is evidentthat the anodes will progressively disintegrate from the bottom upward, which-tends to increase the life of the anodes, In my suspensiontfype of cell, the'absence of a supporting base proves advantageous :fromthe-st-andpoint of heat radiation, as it 45-re1`iders the bottom ofthe container,.as', well as the sides, eeetivecooling surface, there by permitting highercurrent densities and increasing the output'of the cell. i.. Itis clear that rilany changes maybe made wise than v.as vindicated by the;l subjoined claims.v i

1. An :elect-rolytic cell comprising a trough shaped container for electrolyte, a. trough shaped cathode depending into the -.contai11e'r and spaced therefrom, a cover for the space. .between vthe upper edgcs of .the -c:f1thode,fanodcs carried by the cover and depending into the-container within 'the confines ofthe cathode, and means for suspend-l ing the coversubstantially free from the cathode.

in the details of v constructio'n without de- (lo-not, therefore, wish to be' limited other-- 2Q An electrolytic cell comprising a U-shaped container for electrolyte, said cony tainer having end walls, a cathode with'in cover, and n'leans\forsuspendingthe cover.-

substantiallyv independently from the cathode and the container.

itl.' An electrolytic cell comprising a U-shaped container for electrolyte, said container having end walls, a cathode within vthe container` said cathode being U-shaped in cross section and extending across be-V tween the end walls ot' the,- container, a cover t'o'r the space between the edge portions ot the cathode and the end walls of the container. `said cover projecting below. the upper edges of the cathode, means for scaling the joints between the cover and the cathode and between the cover andthe end walls ot' the container, anodes depending trom -the cover, and means for suspending the cover iinlependentl)v from the cathode and the container.

4. .ln ali-electrolytic cell, a container, a vessel having U-shaped end vWalls for the container, a continuous permeable cathodediaphragm forming the sides and bottom of the vessel, said vessel being adapted for electrolyte. means for supporting said conltainer. said means comprising overhead cross-arms cooperating therewith.

In an electrolytic cell. a container. a. cathode-diaphragm within the container` said cathode-diaphragm being arranged to divide the container into anode-and cathode compartments for the electrolyte. overhead means for supporting the container. said means comprising tension members in engagement with members adapted to withstand bendingmoment.

6.' An clcctrolytic cell having a container. an anode and a cathode compartment within the container. a cover 'folnthe anode compartment. anodes depending from the cover` and overhead means adapted to suspend the container and the cover.

7.- An eleetrolytic cell having a container, ya. permeable cathodefdiaphragm dividing` 'the container .into anode and cathode compartments, alcover for the anode compartment, anodes depending from the cover` said cover being suspended independently of and-at an elevation lowerthan the'upper vcrse1crossbars mounted on the end walls and p-ojceting therefrom, a. container surv'rounding the electrolyte vessel and spaced therefrom to form a cathode compartment, and means for hanging the container on the said cross-arms.

9. An electrolytic cell having a container, a vessel within the container, said vessel being adapted for electrolyte, a cover for the.

11. An eleetrolytic cell having a con` tainer, a. cathode-diaphragm within the contail er, said cathode-diaphragm forming the sides anfllbottom of an anode vessel, a cover for the vessel. anodes depending from the said anode cover being suspended independently of and at an elevation lower than the upper edge of the vessel, thus permitting the anodes to be immersed in the electrolytey throughout their length below the cover.

12. An electrolytic cell including a liquidtightcontainer for electrolyte, means for supportingY the container from above, said means includin means for electrically insulatin the cel 13, n electrolytic cell including aliquidtight container for the electrolyte, means for supporting said'cont'ainer, an anode carrier,

4anodes supported 'on said carrier depending into the electrolyte, and means for supporting said carrier fromabove and for insulati ing said supportingniea'ns from the means for su )porting the'container. 14;` n an` electrolytie cell, tin of a vessel containing electrolyte, a` cover for the vessel, anodesdepending from the cover into the electrolyte, said cover bein suspended independently of the vessel out i of Contact with the electrolyte therein. p l

15. In an electrolytie cell,an electrolyte ves'sel4 substantially rectangular in horizontal cross-section and having U-sha ed end walls,` transverse cross-bars lmounte .on the 'end Walls and projecting to engage ,supporting means, said supportm means consistmg `of vertical members inependent lof the cell.

A1 6. An electrolytie cell comprisin 'a subistantially trough shaped container .or electrolyte,' U-bolts passingaround lhe oonitainer at, the ends thereof, ycell-support'ing offvl the c'ell 'at the upper sides thereofand coperating with the. upper ends of the Vlil-bolts to support the container from above, anodes t. Yeleetrolytic Acell having a vessel the combinai `'for suspendn depending into the container, and means extending across between the cross-bars ,for supporting the anodes from' above.

17. In an electro] tic ce1l, a cathodediaphragm formingtlie side Walls of a vessel, electrolyte within thevessel, a cover for the vessel, anodes depending from the cover into the electrolyte, means for suspending the mehr Aindependently of Athe vessel and out ot' contact with the electrolyte therein, said means consisting of overhead lmembers I 18. An electrolytic cell comprising a trough-shaped Container having its end walls formed in a pluralit of sections, the sectionsof one of the wal s being disposed in the same vertical plane, and a sheet-like cathodediapi'iragm extending longitudinally of the'rontainer to se )arate it into` two eomlpr- Ali'ients, the end of the diaphragm being imerposed between the-sections of the wall. y 1S). In an electrolytic cell, the combination of a pair of supper-tin v arms, U-'shaped end 'walls suspended un( er'.the arms, a cathode-diaphlagm conforming to the end walls and clamped thereto to form a trou l1- like vessel, electrolyte within the resse a ycover for the vessel, a'container in which liquid that passes througlrthe cathodediaphragm is received, anodes depending from the cover into' the electrolyte, liieans for suspending the rover independently of Vthe vessel and out ot contact with the electrolyte therein, said means consistin of a longitudinal bar vmounted upon the said supporting arms.

'20. An electrolytic cell comprising a trough-shaped container' having endwalls, a cathode extending longitudinally of the container, said cathode also being troughshaped in cross-section, the end Valls of the container including an inner and an outer member both arranged in the same vertical plane, the'ends ofthe cathodebeingreceived between the inner and outer members of the corresponding end wall, and means for clamping the members together Vupon the p cathode.

I. 21. Inelectrolytic apparatus, a container, a permeable diaphragm dividing the container into. anode and cathode compartments, electrolyte Within the anode com art,- rnent andan anode element immersed t 1erein, a perforated metal cathode element surrounding the diaphragm andA adjacent thereto onthe side thereof most remote from the anode; an outlet for the cathode, `and means the anode element, cathode element and t e container, said meanscom- 1,)1'isingtension mem-bers coperating with overhead cross arms. y

22.- ,In a diaphragm cell, the combination of an: electrolyte vessel having Vend walls, a v l lele` cathode-diaphragm U-shaped in cross','sction extending across between the lois container' end Walls, said end Walls and cathode-diaphragl'n forming a vessel adapted for the electrolyte undergoing decomposition, a

surrounding the cathode-dia.- phragm and spaced therefrom by mea-ns of U-shaped separators to form a compartment adapted for receiving the liquid and Uaseous cathode products, and means for iivitidraaving the 'said cathode` products, saidnn'eans comprisinfr an outlet in' 'tle container'at an elevation )elonthc lower ent-remity of the electrolyte vessel.

Q3. ln electrolytc apparatus, a. permeable cathode-diaphragm element forming' the sides and bottom of an anolyte vesse, a cover toi-,the anolyte vessel, an anode element immersed in the anolyte, a closed con tainer exterior tothe anolyte vessel and spaced therefrom to form a compartment 'adapted for receiving the catholyte and hydrogen, and means for \\'it'lid1a\\'i11g the catholyte and hydrogen and excluding at.- mospheric air from the sides and bottom of the anolyt-e vessel to enable the recovery of pure hydrogen, said means comprising an outlet in the container'at an elevation lie-lonr the lower extremity vof the anolyte vessel.

24. In an electrolytic cell, a container I adapted for electrolyte and supporting the weight thereof, electrodes immersed in the electrolyte, rigid means for suspending the container and the electrodes independent-ly of the'lower extremitiesof the container, said means comprising crossearlns coperating with tension men'lbers in lengagement with the container.

2 5. In electrolytic apparatus, a rigidly wsuspended anode element in combination with a rigidly suspended electrolyte vessel.

An electrolytic cell including a container having a longitudinally entending receiving the catholyte container sheet substantially trough-shaped in transverse cross-section` a substantially trough-shaped cathode-diaphragm dividing the cofntainer into two compartments, end wall-forming means for the container construcred and arranged to space the cathode? fdiaphragm froxnsthe container sheet and .to receive all inward thrusts `of said container sheet, tension-rods passingr around the outside of the container sheet at ,the ends and extending upwardly therefrom, and means located above the ends of the container froinwliich the latter is entirely suspended by tension stresses only in the npwardly extending ends of the rods,

27. A rigid electrolytic cell including a container formed of a trough shaped container sheet and end Wall forming means therefor, a catliode-diaphragm dividing the container into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, rods passing around the container in the planes of the end Walls and clamping the sheet to the end Wall forming means, whereby the containersheetis relieved of stresses longitudinally of the rods, and means associated with the upper ends of said rods for tainer.

28. ln electrolytic apparatus, a permeable cathode-diaphragm element forming atleast the .lower part of the sides and the Abottom, of an anolyte vessel, an anodeelement im mersed in the anolyte, a closed container exi terior to the anolyte vessel and spaced thereT from to form a compartment adapted for conduit leading from said compartment at a low point therein, through which hydrogen may be withdrawn and whereby atmospheric air is excluded from the con'ipartment.

FRANK H. NICKLE.

suspending the conand hydrogen, and a 

